SYNCHROTRON-LIGHT FOR EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Their core work

SESAME is the Middle East's first major international research centre, operating a third-generation synchrotron light source in Allan, Jordan. It provides powerful X-ray and infrared beamlines that researchers use to study everything from protein structures to ancient artifacts at the atomic level. The facility serves as a scientific hub for the region, enabling experiments in structural biology, environmental monitoring, materials science, and cultural heritage preservation. Beyond beam time, SESAME actively builds regional scientific capacity through training programs, staff exchanges, and data infrastructure development.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), SESAME's H2020 participation was broad and foundational — joining projects on regional computing infrastructure (VI-SEEM), general scientific training, and multi-disciplinary capacity building across life sciences, climatology, and cultural heritage. By the later period (2019–2023), the focus sharpened decisively toward synchrotron-specific capabilities: the BEATS project invested EUR 3.5M in building a dedicated tomography beamline, while keywords shifted to synchrotron radiation, user community growth, and facility sustainability. The trajectory is clear — from a new facility building general partnerships to a maturing research infrastructure investing in its own instrumentation and long-term viability.

SESAME is transitioning from facility start-up mode to an established research infrastructure focused on expanding its beamline portfolio and growing its user base — expect future proposals around new experimental stations, open data, and advanced imaging techniques.

How they like to work

SESAME participates exclusively as a partner rather than a coordinator in H2020, which fits its role as a facility that joins consortia led by established European research infrastructures. With 39 unique partners across 26 countries in just 4 projects, it operates in large, highly international consortia — particularly infrastructure networks. This broad partnership base makes SESAME an attractive gateway for any consortium seeking Middle Eastern and Eastern Mediterranean reach without the overhead of building those connections independently.

Despite only 4 projects, SESAME has built a remarkably wide network of 39 partners spanning 26 countries, reflecting its role in large pan-European and trans-Mediterranean infrastructure consortia. The geographic spread covers both EU member states and the broader Mediterranean and Middle Eastern region.

What sets them apart

SESAME is the only synchrotron light source in the Middle East and one of very few major research infrastructures in the region, making it irreplaceable for any consortium that needs to demonstrate Euro-Mediterranean scientific cooperation. Its founding mission — modeled after CERN — brings together scientists from countries that often lack diplomatic relations, giving it a unique science diplomacy dimension. For practical purposes, partnering with SESAME provides access to beamline time, a gateway to Middle Eastern research communities, and strong narrative value for EU-funded proposals emphasizing international cooperation and capacity building.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BEATS
  By far the largest investment (EUR 3.5M, 82% of total funding), this project built SESAME's first tomography beamline — a tangible, permanent addition to the facility's experimental capabilities.
• OPEN SESAME
  Directly named after the facility, this project was specifically designed to develop SESAME's scientific capacity through training, staff exchange, and public engagement across multiple disciplines.
• CALIPSOplus
  Connected SESAME to a Europe-wide network of light sources and photon/neutron facilities, embedding it in the broader European research infrastructure ecosystem.